1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to acoustic brackets. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to acoustic brackets that hold sound transducers, which impart acoustical energy directly to a solid surface such as a wall or ceiling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Home theater and audio systems continue to grow in popularity while offering many choices for sound reproduction. Traditional loudspeaker implementations in floor-standing cabinets are widely available. However, customers are increasingly choosing speaker systems that fit within the walls or ceiling of a home or building. Conventional in-wall speakers include a system with a crossover network and standard driver elements such as a woofer and a tweeter. Since the standard driver elements rely on a cone or diaphragm to directly move the air and thus generate sound, openings must be created in the wall to accommodate the system and allow access to the listening area, which may be undesirable in some situations. An alternative to this approach has been developed using sound transducers (such as SolidDrive™ speakers). Sound transducers do not directly move air to generate sound, but instead create sound by oscillating a soundboard (a wall, a ceiling, or other solid surface), which in turn vibrates air molecules to generate sound. Existing transducers are attached to the soundboard with an adhesive and supported by a bracket.
Prior art techniques for mounting sound transducers in walls or ceilings include brackets that utilize foam layers to surround and hold the body of the transducer while it is in operation. Unfortunately, direct contact between the transducer and the foam creates friction and dampens the vibrations of the transducer, thereby limiting the lower frequency response of the audio system. Thus, with prior art bracketing techniques, the performance of the sound transducer is less than optimal.